ADDRESS OF HIS EXCELLENCY
GENERAL HIDEKI TOJO, REPRESENTATIVE
OF JAPAN
November 5, 1943
(Translation)

As the representative of the sponsor nation, I have theprivilege to extend to you the sincere greetings of the Japanese
Government and to make a statement of their views.
Some time ago, the Japanese Government proposed theconvening of an Assembly of Greater East-Asiatic Nations for thepurpose of holding frank deliberations on policies relative tobringing the War of Greater East Asia to a successful conclusion
and to constructing a new order in Greater East Asia. Thisproposal, I a happy to say, met with hearty approval on the part of
all the countries concerned, and it is with a sense of great pleasureand profound gratitude that today at this gathering I bid welcome
to Your Excellencies as representatives of the nations of Greater
East Asia. I am also happy to say that this Assembly in honoured
by the presence of His Excellency, the Head of the Provisional
Government of Free India.
During the past centuries, the British Empire, through fraud
and aggression, acquired vast territories throughout the world andmaintained its domination over other nations and peoples in thevarious regions by keeping them pitted and engaged in conflict
one against another. On the other hand, the United States which,by taking advantage of the disorder and confusion in Europe, hadestablished its supremacy over the American continents, spread its
tentacles to the Pacific and East Asia following its war with Spain.
Then, with the opportunities afforded by the First World War, theUnited States began to pursue its ambition for world hegemony.
1More recently, with the outbreak of the present war, the UnitedStates has further intensified its imperialistic activities and has
made fresh inroads into North Africa, West Africa, the Atlantic
Ocean, Australia, the Near East and even into India, apparently in
an attempt to usurp the place of the British Empire.
The need of upholding international justice and ofguaranteeing world peace is habitually stressed by America andBritain. They mean thereby no more and no less than thepreservation of a world order of their own, based upon divisionand conflict in Europe and upon the perpetuation of their colonial
exploitation of Asia. They sought to realize their inordinate
ambition in Asia through political aggression and economicexploitation; they brought on conflict among the various peoples;
they tried to destroy their racial integrity under the fair name ofeducation and culture. Thus, they have to this day threatened
constantly the existence of the nations and people of Asia,
disturbed their stability, and suppressed their natural and properdevelopment. It is because of their notion to regard East Asia as acolony that they harp upon the principles of the open door andequal opportunity simply as a convenient means of pursuing theirsinister designs of aggression. While constantly keeping their own
territories closed to us, the peoples of Asia, thus denying us theequality of opportunities and impeding our trade, they sought
solely their own prosperity. The Anglo-American ambition ofworld hegemony is indeed a scourge of mankind and the root of
the world’s evils.
Movements for emancipation have occurred from time to time
among the nations and peoples of East Asia, but due to theruthless and tyrannical armed oppression by America and Britain,
or due to their malicious old trick of division and alienation forruling other races, these patriotic efforts ended largely in failure.
Meanwhile, Japan’s rise in power and prestige was looked uponby America and Britain with increasing dislike. They made it thecardinal point of their East Asia Policy, on the one hand, torestrain Japan at every turn and on the other, to alienate her from2the other countries of East Asia. It was obviously unwise for themto permit either the rise of any one country as a great Power or thebanding together of the various nations and peoples. These
American and British methods became more and more sinisterand high-handed, especially in the last several years.
For example, they made a tool of the Chiang Kai-shek regime
and so aggravated Sino-Japanese relations as to lead to theunfortunate China Affair. Furthermore, they resorted to every
possible means to obstruct a settlement. Following the outbreak of
the commerce under the pretext of wartime necessity and evenresorted to the severance of economic relations with Japan, an act
tantamount to war. At the same time, they augmented theirmilitary preparations in East Asia in an effort to force Japan’ssubmission. Despite such an attitude on the part of the UnitedStates and Britain, Japan, in her desire to prevent war fromspreading into East Asia, endeavoured to the last to find a solution
by peaceful negotiation. However, the United States and Britain,
not only failing completely to manifest an attitude of reflection
and mutual concession, but intensifying instead their threats andpressure, endangered the very existence of our nation. Japan atlast was compelled to rise in self-defense and to fight for her
existence, and thus she accepted the challenge that was hurledagainst East Asia. Staking her national fortunes, Japan marched
forth to battle in order that permanent peace might be establishedin East Asia.
With the outbreak of the War of Greater East Asia, theImperial Army and Navy fought with heroin courage under
carefully-laid plans and within less than half a year expelled
America and Britain from the entire region of East Asia. The
various countries of Greater East Asia have either declared war tofight with us, or are closely co-operating for the prosecution ofthe war to a successful conclusion. Today, the ardour andenthusiasm of the peoples of Greater East Asia have spreadthroughout our region. With mutual trust and harmony among ournations, we are valiantly marching forward together to secure our3existence and to establish permanent stability to Greater East Asia
by crushing the counter-offensives of American and Britain.
It is my belief that for all the peoples of Greater East Asia thepresent war is a decisive struggle upon whose outcome depends
their rise or fall. It is only by winning through this war that they
may ensure forever their existence in their Greater East-Asian
home and enjoy common prosperity and happiness. Indeed, asuccessful conclusion of this war means the completion of thevery task of constructing the new order of Greater East Asia.
The United States and Britain may naturally repeat theircounter-offensives against Greater East Asia with all theirmaterial might upon which they rely, but we, the nations ofGreater East Asia, must summon up our total strength to repel
these attacks. We must deal out crushing blows to our enemy andthereby finish the war victoriously and secure to East Asia anenduring peace and stability.
At this moment, Japan is carrying out extensive operationfrom her position of strategical advantage acquired by her early
victories in the war. On the home front, the internal structure, inparallel with these operations, has been steadily improved.
Especially through the recent re-organization it has been soadjusted as to meet fully the needs of decisive warfare. Her one
hundred million peoples with but a single mind, with a firm
conviction in sure victory and with an inflexible fighting spirit aremarching forward to triumph in this great war. I firmly believethat the other Greater East Asiatic nations, to shatter thecounter-offensives of their age-old enemies, America and Britain
by throwing their full weight into the field in concert with theJapanese nation and thereby to secure lasting stability for Greater
East Asia.
It is my belief that to enable all nations each to have its proper
place and to enjoy the blessings of common prosperity by mutual
efforts and mutual help is the fundamental condition for theestablishment of world peace. And I must furthermore say that topractice mutual help among closely related nations in one region,4

fostering one another’s national growth and well-being, and, atthe same time, to cultivate relations of harmony and concord withnations of other regions in the most effective and the mostpractical method of securing world peace.
It is an incontrovertible fact that the nations of Greater East
Asia are bound, in every respect, by ties of an inseparable
relationship. I firmly believe that such being the case, it is theircommon mission to secure the stability of Greater East Asia andto construct a new order of common prosperity and well-being.
This new order of Greater East Asia is to rest upon the spiritof justice which is inherent in Greater East Asia. In this respect itis fundamentally different from the old order designed to serve
the interests of the United States and Britain who do not hesitate
to practice injustice, deception and exploitation in order topromote their own prosperity.
The nations of Greater East Asia, while mutually recognizing
their autonomy and independence, must, as a whole, establish
among themselves relations of brotherly amity. Such relations
cannot be created if one country should utilize another as a means
to an end. I believe that they come into being only when there ismutual respect for one another’s autonomy and independence,
when one prospers through another’s prosperity and all countries
give expression to their true selves.
A superior order of culture has existed in Greater East Asia
the most sublime in the world. It is my belief that in the wide
diffusion throughout the world of this culture of Greater East Asia
by its further cultivation and refinement lies the salvation of
mankind from the curse of materialistic civilization and ourcontribution to the welfare of all humanity. It is incumbent upon
us all mutually to respect one another’s glorious traditions and todevelop the creative spirit and genius of our peoples and thereby
to enhance even more the culture of Greater East Asia.
Furthermore, I believe that in order to promote the welfare of
the people and to replenish the national power, the nations ofGreater East Asia must carry on close economic collaboration on5the basis of reciprocity and jointly promote the prosperity ofGreater East Asia. Hitherto, for many years, Greater East Asia has
been the object of Anglo-American exploitation; henceforth, wemust be autonomous and independent in the economic field togain prosperity by mutually depending on and helping oneanother.
The new order of Greater East Asia which we are building is
not exclusive unto itself. Rather it seeks positively to enter into
co-operative relations with the nations of the world, politically,economically and also culturally, and thus contribute to theworld’s advancement. How completely different is this from theway of the United States and Britain which, while advocating
freedom and equality, oppress and discriminate against othernations and other peoples; and which, while imposing the open
door on others, monopolize vast territories of others without
compunction and retard the general advancement of the entire
world.
The construction of Greater East Asia is being realized withgrim steadiness in the midst of war. In contrast, what are Americaand Britain doing in India? Britain’s oppression of India grows inseverity with every passing day. More recently, America’s
ambition there has asserted itself and discord and friction between
Britain and America on the one hand and the Indian masses on theother are being aggravated; and the Indian people are being
subjected to indescribable hardships and tribulations.
The famine of unprecedented magnitude, which such asituation has recently brought about in India, has ever been
admitted by Britain and America. All patriots of India areimprisoned, while the innocent masses are imprisoned, while theinnocent masses are starving. This is a world tragedy—a calamityof all mankind. The peoples of Greater East Asia could never let it
go unattended. Happily, Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose responded tothe call of the hour and with hi rose the Indian patriots bothwithin and without their country. Thus was the Provisional
Government of Free Indies created and the foundation of Indian6

independence laid. The Japanese Government have alreadydeclared to the world that they will extend every cooperation andassistance for the independence of India. I am confident that theother nations of Greater East Asia will also give whole-heatedsupport for the realization of Indian independence.
By no logic and reason could America and Britain possibly
reconcile what they advocate under the so-called Atlantic Charterwith what they are actually doing in India. But we are not evensurprised at the contradictions between the beautiful signboards
which they put up and the evil designs which they harbour within
We know too well that deception and camouflage constitute theirvery nature. However, regardless of what the enemy may do,
Japan is determined to follow, together with the other nations ofGreater East Asia, the path of justice, to deliver Greater East Asia
from the fetters of America and Britain and, in cooperation with
her neighbour nations, to strive toward the reconstruction anddevelopment of Greater East Asia.
Today, the unity of the countries and peoples of Greater East
Asia has been achieved and they have embarked upon the gigantic
enterprises of constructing Greater East Asia for the common
prosperity of all nations. This surely must be regarded as thegrandest spectacle of human effort in modern times.
As regards the situation in Europe, we are very glad that ourally, Germany, has still further solidified her national unity and,with conviction in modern times.
As regards the situation in Europe, we are very glad that ourally, Germany, has still further solidified her national unity and,with conviction in sure victory, is advancing to crush the UnitedStates and Britain and to construct a new Europe.
The War of Greater East Asia is truly a war to destroy evil andto make justice manifest. Ours is a righteous cause. Justice knows
no enemy and we are fully convinced greater of our ultimatevictory.
Japan is grateful to the nations of Greater East Asia for thewhole-hearted co-operation which they are rendering in this war.
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Japan is firmly determined, by cooperating with them and bystrengthening her collaboration with her allies in Europe, to carryon with indefatigable spirit and with conviction in sure victory
this war, the intensity of which is expected to mount from day today. Japan, by overcoming all difficulties, will do her full share tocomplete the construction of Greater East Asia and contribute to
the establishment of world peace which is the common mission ofus all.

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